Intestinal bile acid physiology and pathophysiology

Abstract

Bile acids (BAs) have a long established role in fat digestion in the intestine by acting as tensioactives, due to their amphipathic characteristics. BAs are reabsorbed very efficiently by the intestinal epithelium and recycled back to the liver via transport mechanisms that have been largely elucidated. The transport and synthesis of BAs are tightly regulated in part by specific plasma membrane receptors and nuclear receptors. In addition to their primary effect, BAs have been claimed to play a role in gastrointestinal cancer, intestinal inflammation and intestinal ionic transport. BAs are not equivalent in any of these biological activities, and structural requirements have been generally identified. In particular, some BAs may be useful for cancer chemoprevention and perhaps in inflammatory bowel disease, although further research is necessary in this field. This review covers the most recent developments in these aspects of BA intestinal biology.

Dietary iron-deficient anemia induces a variety of metabolic changes and even apoptosis in rat liver: a DNA microarray study

“…In our study, however, no change in bile acid level was observed (Table 5). Bile acid is efficiently reabsorbed in the small intestine to reach the liver via portal blood (19). This event may be supported by our finding that there was little, if any, fecal bile acid (data not shown).…”

Structural Conservation of Ligand Binding Reveals a Bile Acid-like Signaling Pathway in Nematodes

“…5A, 3-keto LCA stimulated the activity of all the tested DAF-12s to a comparable level. However, 3-keto LCA is toxic at a higher concentration (28) and thus unlikely to be the host ligand.…”

Apical Sodium-Dependent Transporter Inhibitors in Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

“…In healthy individuals, BAs (cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA)) are produced in the liver, secreted in the intestine and following their role in fat digestion most BAs (>95%) are re-claimed in the terminal ileum and returned to the liver via portal vein [3] . This efficient process of recycling of BAs is referred to as enterohepatic circulation (EHC), which maintains the balance between hepatic synthesis and intestinal loss of BAs.…”